Report
Last season, a penalty from Layne Eadie and a goal from Alex Marsh brought victory to Hitchin in front of a crowd of just under a thousand. Bromsgrove Sporting, after a stuttering start of two defeats and conceding seven goals have not lost since and they won today with the only goal of a well-contested and even match that Hitchin have a fair claim to have earned a point, having played well, but ultimately fell to a well-constructed goal that came more or less against the run of play. Sporting defended their lead well and will feel pleased that they achieved a win against a team who have tended to do well against them.
It was, by any standards, a fine game, with plenty of chances created with positive forward play and some near misses. The scorer of the game’s solitary goal, Nathan Hayward, had an early shot. At the other end, Luke Brown tried his luck, but the effort was too high. A free-kick from Hitchin won a corner and Sporting defended this – and indeed their defending was notable throughout. A further free-kick from Hitchin saw Luke Brown again try to connect and a neat back header from the tireless Stead was carefully defended.
Sporting’s next free-kick was plucked out of the air by Horlock and a very lively Vladimir Pais saw his effort stopped by Horlock. Good movement on the left was provided by wing- back Dugmore. Pais’ next cross sw Horlock down well to save. Demetri Brown’s chance was spoiled by a foul, but Horlock again held the shot. Dugmore wasted a good chance with a country mile miss, and a combination between the outstanding Josh Coldicott-Stevens and Dan Akubuine and Henry Snee looked good, but Snee’s touch was too strong to maximise the effort. Sporting, with agd move started by Shorrock saw a header held by Horlock.
It was already an intriguing game of good, passing play, but both defences held firm. The closest we got to a goal was when the energetic Pais fired in a beauty that struck the foot of the post. Stead provided an opportunity for Luke Brown whose header was deflected. A useful long throw-in from Darion Furlong was neatly headed on by Ciaren Jones that was precisely defended – but Hitchin continued to probe with Luke Brown having a distinct chance, but he dragged the shot just wide. Brown then set Snee up with a chance but he simply ran out of pitch.
Play continued to be crisp from both sides, with Hitchin constructing an artful move with Luke Brown’s reverse pass deflected for a corner. This same player tried again but the deflection took the sting out of his shot. Direct shots were again thwarted by both defences as we moved towards the interval. Already it seemed so tight, suggesting that one goal would win this game. It had been absorbing stuff and the outcome largely unpredictable. My own score for our Prediction League turned out to be correct for the first time, but I hoped that Hitchin would prove me wrong. Bromsgrove made a half-time substitution and made their three changes before Hitchin. It was peculated that perhaps Hitchin might have had more impact if they had made their changes earlier, but this was a difficult one to call as the team as it stood performed solidly.
Bromsgrove substitute Connor Taylor had an early shot on resumption following a cross by Fisher, whilst Pais, full of pace found himself thwarted by Coldicott-Stevens. Hitchin free-kicks did ask questions but they were answered by the Sporting defenders. A flowing move involving Alex Brown and Stead saw Lawrie Marsh just fail to connect in front of goal. Furlong’s free-kick had pace but it was straight at keeper Akos Onodi whose all grey strip gave me the impression that he was playing in his vest and pants- but he was far from asleep.
With both sides playing as if they felt they ought to be ahead, an admirable nove from Sporting saw Nathan Howard make a notable conversion two minutes short of the hour. It brought a fulsome celebration since Hitchin’s stubborn defending had suggested they might well keep a clean sheet. We cannot fault Hitchin’s zealous attempts to seek a quick equaliser and Marsh might well have seen his shot hit home but for a timely block. Persistence had been a key part of this game and there followed a bit of Hitchin pressure that needed sure- footed defending, which served to frustrate, and for a ten minute spell the Hitchin rhythm was disturbed.
A Luke Brown shot won a corner, as did Marsh but these were dealt with, and there was a definite composure about Bromsgrove’s defending. Their determination to hold on to their lead involved no parking of the metaphorical bus – they were adept at counter moves. Hitchin were desperately unfortunate in the later stages when two efforts were cleared off the line and Onodi’s save from a splendid effort deserves credit. Veteran Sporting man Leon Broadhurst, who had been relatively quiet headed wide in one crisp counter move.
With Coldicott-Stevens conceding a free kick, centrally just outside the area, it was time to see if a set piece could have a major say in the final outcome. It was a penetrating ball that was sent in and Pais gleefully put the ball into the net, running off jubilantly, not noticing the off-side flag. Bromsgrove consolidated, denying effective counter play by Hitchin for the time being, and Horlock was called upon to make one save and then he tipped another cross just over the cross bar. Stead, whose phenomenal work rate and unselfish play was disappointed to see his next effort to clear the bar, and Pais, another striker who was able to track back and assist his defence saw Horlock hold his effort.
Still Hitchin made forward moves that, if nothing else, it made the home supporters edgy and whistling for time with a good few minutes to go. Each time Horlock punted the ball forward there seemed possibilities. With full-time looming there was no room for elegant playing out from the back, but despite the chances the elusive equaliser was denied the Canaries. Had they gained a precious point today it would not have been good fortune- as they had played well enough to gain the draw. This was acknowledged by many home supporters standing near me, but the fact remains that despite their efforts and good play the team has now lost four out of the five league games and the irony is that their one victory, over Nuneaton was just a little fortuitous.
Being just one place above the relegation slot is perplexing given the way that Hitchin have matched teams blow for blow so far, but results have gone against them and there is much work to do. Last week saw a notable win in the FA Cup against Biggleswade Town, and the forthcoming clash with Isthmian Premier side Cheshunt promises a fine game but some ‘concentration on the League’ is now approaching the urgent category.
As players boarded the coach for the homeward journey it was noted just how many felt that they had been robbed of a point. The positives are that these players have brought about a fluency in their play, and one good win might well be the basis of a good run.
Once more we had further proof that in this League every team so far has provided evidence that one little bit of inspiration can decide the result. Such as it was today, the team was never outplayed or outfought, but the goal that claimed the points came from a bit of play that just allowed penetration. Stead and Luke Brown could have got onto the score sheet today, and those two goal line clearances underline that the smile of fortune did not favour them today. But we may feel proud of the effort which did not lessen apart from a curious spell of bout ten minutes when the rhythm of play was absent, but regained in time for a storming finish that just failed to snatch a deserved point. We had felt it coming but time simply ran out.
On Monday (13 September), Barwell are the visitors to Top Field, which is a suitably early time for the Canaries to impose themselves and gather some much needed points.
BROMSGROVE SPORTING
Akos Onodi, Joshua Dugmore, Cody Fisher, Nathan Hayward, GOAL, 58 MINUTES, Joseph Cole, (Jack Newell), Joel Kettle, Demetri Brown, (Connor Taylor), Leon Broadhurst, Captain, Vladimiro Pais, Jordain Masidi, William Shorrock, (Cameron Ebutt).
Unused substitutes: Max Beardmore, GK, and Kieran Dunbar.
HITCHIN TOWN
Charlie Horlock, Daniel Akubuine, Alex Brown, Ciaren Jones, Darion Furlong, Lawrie Marsh, (Rio Dasilva), Kye Tearle, (Ryan Smith), Josh Coldicott-Stevens, Callum Stead, Luke Brown, Henry Snee, (Alex Marsh).
Other substitutes: Malaki Back and Stan Georgiou.
REFEREE: Mr George Enever assisted by Mr Richard Booth and Mr Nelson Oppong.
ATTENDANCE: 688
REPORT BY PIPEMAN